If you’re anything like me, you love Etsy. It’s a great way to sell handmade goods, vintage items, and craft supplies. The only problem is, it can be tough to come up with tags for your items that will help them rank well in search engines and attract the right buyers.
Here’s a secret: you don’t have to be a SEO expert to do Etsy tags right. In fact, there are a few simple steps you can follow that will help you create tags that are both search engine and shopper friendly.
1. Start with your item title
Your item title is the most important part of your listing, so it makes sense to start there when creating your tags. Use keywords that accurately describe your item and are likely to be used by shoppers searching for similar items. For example, if you’re selling a hand-knit scarf, some good keywords to include might be “scarf,” “knit,” “handmade,” and “winter.”
2. Use all 13 available tags
Etsy allows you to use up to 13 tags per listing, so take advantage of them! In addition to including keywords from your title, try thinking of other words or phrases that shoppers might use when searching for your item. For example, if you’re selling a vintage dress, some other good keywords to include might be “vintage,” “clothing,” “women’s,” and “dress.”
3. Be specific
The more specific you can be in your tags, the better. Not only will this help shoppers find your listing more easily, but it will also help ensure that you’re not wasting any of your available tags on irrelevant keywords. For example, if you’re selling a cat bed, some good keywords to include might be “cat,” “bed,” “kitten,” and “feline.” Avoid using general terms like “pet” or “animal” as they’re too vague and won’t do much to help shoppers find your listing.
4. Use singular and plural forms of words
When creating your tags, be sure to include both singular and plural forms of words when applicable. This will help ensure that shoppers who search for either singular or plural versions of a keyword will still be able to find your listing. For example, if you’re selling a set of wooden coasters, some good keywords to include might be “coaster,” “coasters,” “wooden,” and “set.”
5. Don’t stuff your tags with unnecessary keywords
It’s important to use relevant keywords in your tags, but resist the temptation to stuff them full of irrelevant keywords in an attempt to game the system. Not only will this not help your listing rank any higher in search results, but it could actually hurt it as Etsy may penalize listings that are found to be keyword stuffing. When in doubt, less is more – focus on including a few carefully chosen relevant keywords rather than trying to cram in as many as possible.
